Of courage, Of values....

Even this is a pretty older article written in 2004 fall. Still I feel it deserves a publication, so posting it in here. These two guys Late Captain Vikram Batra and Late Captain Manoj Pande have been in top order of my favorite men. Its dedicated to the valor and gallantry shown by them.

It was May 1999, when a sleeping India rose to a threat, Kargil war. It has been a land mark in Indian history, not because of victory but for the gallantry of the youth. How people sacrificed their life with out a second thought. Its not because they laid their lives for the nation, its because they had respect for themselves, they had purpose of their life, they had a code of living by honor. Here goes the story of two greatest heroes and leaders Vikram Batra and Manoj Pande.

Vikram Batra:
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"If death strikes me before I prove my blood, I swear I will kill death." - Capt. Vikram batra.

What do you call a man who opted out of a smooth, wealthy career of merchant navy and joins the Army, Indian Military Academy? This man, Vikram Batra did so. He commissioned as a Lieutenant and joined army. Soon he was called for the service in the highest order of the Army tradition. To lead his men into the battle, a know combat where chances of winning were slim. But slim chances are not firm enough to alter determination. He shored high on success showing never before leadership and courage. The lead his men not by words but by example and values. He captured one peak after another not shacked by the injuries or the turbulent stream of bullets. Glory was waiting for him, his lavish future was waiting for him. But something was more important for the man then the glory offered by people, he had a big life not in age but in quality. One second of quality life is greater than a million years of age. In a daredevil act to rescue a fellow officer who was already fatally injured, despite his fellow men's deterring him, he clinched though the rocks, the heights towards the enemy bunker, and then he took his leap into the air to reach the wounded
officer. He was hit when in mid air, he was hit in the chest. But a bullet running at supersonic, may tear his body not his faith, courage and determinations. He pulled the officer back and before finally breathing his last, he destroyed the enemy bunker with a grenade.Inspired by this act the platoon quickly invaded other bunkers and conquered them all. This is called valor, this is called "Guts". And this is called "self respect", to fulfill your own decision, to live by own code. He was awarded PVC for his valor and became the face of Kargil war. The legend. A story of a legend.
I owe a lot to this man. A real man.
A salute to you.

Manoj Pande:
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"Some goals are so worth, its glorious even to fail" - Lt. manoj Pande
"To be safe in war you must be with the bravest" This is why people choose Gorkha regiment. And the people who have got this name for the regiment are the likes of Lt. Manoj Pande. A young officer who created history by showing extraordinary leadership and courage. The commitment was unmatched, the courage was unmatched. H elead the 1/11 GR to the Tololing peak. He conquered many peaks which other regiments have already failed. Fighting on a slanted slope of a mountain at a height of 17000Ft. when you are at the receiving end is next to impossible. But this men lead his company to following the spirit of self motivation to the pinnacle of victory where the same would have been only a theoretical concept. But he excelled, he cleared one bunker after another. He cleared one peak after another. He paved the way of victory for operation Vijay. He single handedly killed 4 people in hand to hand combat and cleared a bunker. Moving on to another he never cared for his life not even bothered how far he has moved away from his platoon, not fearing the unknown number of enemy, he moved alone way ahead of his men. Unfortunately while killing and clearing single handedly he came across a LMG, and got hit at head. But this daredevil act ignited this men. The men who loved their leader the people got inspired with his extraordinary showcase of courage. The men chased the enemy with Khukri and killed each of them. This man is Lt. manoj Pande. A man who redefined courage, a man who rewrote the way wars were ever fought. Hats off to him. You remain one of my heroes. Salute to you.
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This is the highest example of a life of self respect, of ego and of courage. Courage is an attribute of self respect. Man is a man when his self is a "self".

Truly
Abinash

Living free somewhere

I had written it long back. Posted it today :)
So may not be upto the standard still, I thought it deserves a publication.

Don't search for me here,
I have abandoned this place.

Don't look for me in your memory,
I live there no more.

I have divorced life, I have cheated death,
Love for me no more, I am free somewhere.

Longing to be loved, seen and admired
I quited this earth to pursue my desire.

Its no heaven here, nor its any hell,
I don't know what makes them different
But yeah it has innocent wind, shining days and starry nights.

Yeah, the gods don't stay here, I live alone,
with my dreams pursued, life cherished and a sedated soul.

My soul laughs at me, laughs also my shadow,
But who cares them, I am living free somewhere.

Truly
Abinash

Fighting a loosing battle

I am not what I seem.
I am nothing but a dream.

I have changed awfully. I loosing on my courage. There was a time I used to be dangerously courageous. I would be afraid of nothing, no death could frighten me. I have changed and the only thing I am worried and I am sad about is I am loosing on my courage. I am afraid at time. I am growing lazy, that comes 2nd worry. I at times imitate others thats the 3rd worry. But still.... its good I have realized the problem early (or may be late) so that I can work on them. Wish me luck, wish me the grace of God.

Truly
Abinash

I just love

I slept early, I woke up early and reached early. I was looking for her. Walking to and fro I was making strange gestures. Just wondering she would come. The rosy smile, the glittering eyes, the glowing face, the chilly 'hi', the cute glance, the flowery dress all are my morning assets. They all mean whole lot of things for me.
But she would never give any of these to me. But I can steal them from her. I love these all. I just love.

Truly
Abinash

My needs and wants :)

What all I need now at 21:13Hours of the day?
I need a decent supper
I need a bottle of water
I need continuous power supply
I need my mobile
I need the book (To kill a mocking bird)(French phrases)
I need my bed

What I want this month:
I want an SLR camera
I want a support stand for my laptop
I want a new jeans
I want to have Italian food at Italiano
I want to have a girl friend

Truly
Abinash

On the porch of Life

Sitting on the porch of life, looking across it all the way back till the last moment I can remember what I think? I found I have grown into myself only half and the other half into something that I never wanted to. Life has turned out to be something else far more different than what it was supposed to be? One thought comes rushing to me for rescue. I gain my consciousness to console myself, I have enough time for restructuring everything, life, style, myself, even my death to the way I want. a faint smile runs across my face, I take my face away from me with a sigh of satisfaction, more like a thirsty man in desert drinking in an oasis breathlessly. The heartbeat slows down to normal and the fingers stop trembling. I stand up off the porch, all most in slow motion I take the first step forward with courage and hope revived. I move in the direction of the remote light, the only light I can see, the light of life.

Truly
Abinash

I was listening to the music of Omakara based on Shakespeare’s Othello after a long time. The title song used to be my caller tune sometime. I always loved the music, the direction and mostly the lyrics. The lyrics speaks of ego, a clash of ego. Vishal Bhardwaj at his best. He has always appeared in my favorite directors and now I feel I must include him among my favorite music directors too. Some strange feeling evoked in me. I just danced to the music like mad and I just wanted the song again to be my caller tune. What I love the best is the depiction of ego in poetic form with correct analogy. Do listen to the song. The title song of Omkara.
Till then Omkara!!

Truly
Abinash

A begging appeal

The way she was walking caught my attention. Beautiful glowing skin, careless glances, untidy Grey and black hair looking like silver nylon is dancing to the rhythm of wind. The way she would hold the saree and the way she would take cautious steps jumping over the mud. The smooth voice pronouncing each latter clearly, in a way it rhymes. The eyes filled with expectation when falls on you with the voice of hers in my ear, I respond involuntarily. A sense runs through my body and I feel the unique feeling. Running towards her I pull out my wallet and hand over a two rupees coin. Yes am talking about the bagger I see everyday on my way to office.

Truly
Abinash

In love again

Its not easy. You can't hide your disposition. You struggle with own words and thoughts. Fighting all the time, and wondering all the time for a glimpse. Quizzing yourself you find nothing. You want solitude, you want perpetuation of the "now" version of time. You discover you are in love (again?). You smile at yourself and you move on. But at some neat thought you are in love. The craziness is apparent in your action. The desperation eyes. The blushing glow and the admiration in breath.
Go man go. You are in love again!

Truly
Abinash

What's on your bed?

Well today I entered my room and this very thought struck me. My bed was occupied by all the things which are not supposed to be on it! So I wondered what all things might be on people's bed? So just thought of putting a list of the things I keep on my bed involuntarily.

Blanket, Laptop
Headphone, Mobile
A water bottle, Jeans/shirt
Dictionary, Ongoing book(s)
Print outs, Hanumaan Chalisha
Hanger(s), pen
a copy, Amrutanjan strong
DVD(s) and a little space for my accommodation. [:)]

So whats things you find on your bed?

truly
Abinash

Memory of a day in my village

Its five in the morning and the whole village is lightened up by the milky white light of the dawn. The rhythmic sound of birds and the silent noise of the river all come to your ear slowly getting louder with every passing seconds as you wearily open your eyes and sense the chill. You wonder is it really summer? You smile at yourself and make yourself cozy under the blanket for few more minutes but the struggle between the laziness and the enthusiasm to explore the morning is finally taken over by the later. You quickly wake up. Rush to wake up your siblings, cousins, sometimes friends.
You have your own plans for the morning. Now its 5:30 the cow boy is guiding the cow herd with that dusty wind you don't close your face you take a deep breath as if the dust in the wind is panacea. This can happen only here. All the gang moves to finish up brushing and cleaning. What next is it food, no something else is yet more important, lets run! run to the field all along side the river. The sun has not yet come out. But you are running down the lane restlessly as if the day will die the next moment. The chill of AC is defeated, the clarity of Dolby Digital sound is defeated, the the whole era is defeated by this small pack of scattered things in the hour. You love each second. Running around, chasing the snakes, picking the snails. The stint halts on the river, you jump in and follow the classical strategies, what? Lets catch fish! You prepare your own temporary yet contemporary reservoir for the fishes. This optimism is obvious. The fishing session is done time to get home. Walk all the way discussing the day plan. Disclosing the fantasies as facts. Telling stories as history! Making ghost the primary resident of any randomly picked old looking tree. "Uss pipal ke pedh mein bhoot hai. Use
kilon se bandha gaya hai... " Life never stops and imaginations take shape. Go home have fresh diary milk, have fresh steaming break fast! Rush again. Its time for gadgets. after all you have to prepare dhanush to fight snakes. with the giggles and zig the dusk come in. It steps in when you are still struggling under the "Aam ka pedh or jaamun ka pedh" You get few and you are more than happy! Ecstatic you return back staring at the swift and agile movement of the cow boy guiding the herd back. The light from "Saanj dia and sound from puja ghanti" resonates from all the souring. You tell the prayers with the gang, brothers friends sitting on the porch of the temple you wonder is there any secrete behind this temple. Its always a weird feeling everything in a village seems to carry a story with it. Solving the dilemma you give direction to thoughts, its time you go to grand father, "Ghost stories" the most demanded at that time. You sleep on the porch snugged to each other no sooner the story finishes. A jerk and a sound wakes you up. The supper is ready. Its you all favorite. Thats favorite not more because you really like it but because you only get then when you come here. A day has passed. First time you realize a days passes at light speed. You sleep on the bed just desperately waiting for the next dawn. Oh sun why go down even today? Every day you set off. Can't you just wait for a single day giving some more time to run under you heat, to be breathless, sweat running down my cheek all the day long? The scent of aam bagan, the speed of snakes, the sound of birds and those old three I get courage to go only when you are there on top. Oh sun ca't you just wait! and you sleep. The next morning comes and goes.
All remains with you for the eternal time is the scent of soil, the care free runs, the never ending fun, the soothing wind, the cow shed, the dog running after you, the life that used to be blue! All remains is the memory and the satisfactory sigh you breath out!
And you end up writing all these like I am doing in a 2nd floor apartment of a cosmopolitan city on the bed cursing the laptop and avoiding the snoozes. Hello! Get back!

Truly
Abinash

Rupee rises on Dollar: Something to be Happy!!!

Today one of my friend called me inquiring about the industry situation. He sounded worried. I asked whats the matter just to find he is worried about the lay off. Companies are in a spree of making employees redundant. But two questions Why? and Whom?.
Why?
The hyped Rupee appreciation against dollar has got the top executives off their seats leaving an weary feeling in them. Every one the industry critics, analysts and the laborers restlessly predicting the future scenario. But does it worth all? All these obsession and hype? I guess no. The rupee has been on its constant voyage of appreciation since quite a while. Most of Indian IT industry is service based. Hence the outsourced work is never as challenging. Its about the low quality software which does a lot but repeated work. India is the greatest factory for skilled labor. The 1200 technical(degree) colleges produce the mass skill to pack the supply-demand gap. This crowd is now on a rise and the industry leader have now realized that the IT infrastructure of India needs an additional blood line supply for survival.
Now with this back ground my views why I think the hype is not worth the hype:
point #1. The Indian market has got enough talent pool in its disposal. So as to leverage and normalize the demand.
Point #2. When I say demand it sounds conflicting as the demand is always regarded as the outsourced demand mostly dependent on US market. But if we see, who are the software meant for? The kind of service oriented software? These software are finally to be consumed by the non technical population of a targeted nation. The so called verticals like banking, Finance, Insurance, Aerospace, Biomedical, Telecoms, Broadcasting, Automobile etc.
Why we have been getting these jobs from outside giants? Two reasons:
a) India has the talent pool at the low labor cost and a relatively friendlier government with easy sounding foreign policies
b) Most importantly they have the consumer of the software there in those country. That is what matters; having the consumer. And it all started with the innovation in other technological areas, in the 80s and 90s. The escalation in Automobile and Aerospace demanded for new hitech softwares so the demand and the Aerospace and automobile software became overnight profit making verticals.
Same with Banking and Finance. The question is we are looking at the consuming market there in the west. But seldom we understand the fact beneath. Its not the software technology, its the appreciation of other industries that drive the service oriented Software market like India. Now if we take a peek at our own domestic market why Rupee is gaining appreciation against Dollar, we find its due to the enlarged and appreciated market in the other sectors. And that is where you get the consumer of your software. With such an growing market now the service industry should look for domestic clients and avoid the dependency on the west market. We have more than 1.2 billion consumer out of which there must be some .5 billion people who are affected by it. A consumer base of .5 billion is giant! The potential lies here.
In turn the foreign investment in India would increase resulting in more demand for quality service. This will give the Indian IT industry a giant opportunity to have a long term stabilized version.
So the depreciation of Dollar against Rupees is not something to get worried about but something to think about. Just to realize the consumer base is slowly shifting from west to the land called India. Hence resulting in an independent industry driven by own economy.
Just think.

Truly
Abinash